1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to space displacement devices for reducing the volume of an interior climate controlled space and, more particularly, to an inflatable pillow device that conforms to the rear floor and rear seat configuration of an automobile to effectively fill unused space rearward of the front seats without obstructing the drivers view through the rear window.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Only a small percentage of vehicles traveling on roads and highways carry more than 2 passengers and, in fact, most vehicles observed on the road have only a single occupant, the driver. In these single occupant vehicles, the driver is traveling in an interior compartment having an unnecessarily large volume that needs to be maintained at a desired temperature level.
In this modern age, most automobiles are equipped with an interior climate control system that includes air conditioning and heating. Regardless of the outdoor temperature, most vehicles are driven with the windows up and closed to guard against the outdoor elements (e.g., pollution, rain, airborne objects, etc.) and to also reduce drag on the vehicle, thereby providing greater fuel efficiency. With the windows closed, the occupant(s) relies on the climate control system to maintain the desired temperature level within the interior compartment. Naturally, in extremely hot or cold climates, it takes longer to reach the desired interior temperature level. And, because the unused space of the rear portion of the interior compartment contributes to the total volume of the climate controlled interior atmosphere, the one or two occupants of the automobile must endure uncomfortable temperature levels (i.e., either hot or cold) for an extended period of time until the entire interior compartment, including the unused rear space, reaches the desired temperature.
The need to cool or heat the unused lower rear space of the interior compartment of the automobile is extremely inefficient and inconvenient. Moreover, the need to cool or heat the entire interior space of an automobile, including unused space in the rear passenger compartment, requires operation of the air conditioning and/or heating system at full capacity for extended periods of time. This results in decreased fuel efficiency and excess wear on the engine and components, reducing the overall life of the engine, air conditioning and heating system, as well as other engine components. Accordingly, there is a definite need for a lightweight space displacement device that fills unused interior space in the rear passenger compartment of an automobile, to thereby increase the efficiency of the air conditioning and heating system as well as fuel efficiency, while also providing benefits such as safety flotation, and convenient pocket storage with easy and safe driver access to articles, such as roadmaps, while driving.